Technology Advancing Parallel to Parking Rates

Average monthly parking rates in U.S. cities range from $20 to $925, says a survey by Colliers International.

Commentary

The list of cost irritants affecting the auto industry just got longer.

Compared with their offshore-based competitors, Detroit auto makers are facing an estimated $10.7 billion premium this year to cover health-care and pension benefits for their employees.

Meanwhile, currency manipulation in Japan gives that nation’s auto exports a pricing edge that ranges from $3,000 to $9,000. And auto makers of every stripe are getting pinched by unprecedented price hikes for critical raw materials such as resin, steel and oil.

Available on Lexus LS luxury sedans, the system uses sensors to determine the car’s position in relation to parked vehicles or walls or pillars. Then it projects prospective parking spots onto a dash-mounted, video-type display.

The driver sets a course for the desired spot and sits back, foot on the brake to modulate speed. The car steers itself.

If I’m paying a week’s salary just to park my car, I want everything done for me.

Of course, cheaper is not always better. You’ll only pay $50 per month in Fresno, but your car’s interior is hotter than a baker’s oven by day’s end.

BMW has an answer for this in its 3-Series convertible. It features leather that reflects heat, but not light.

So after sitting under the scorching desert sun, the seats are easy on your eyes – and your thighs.

At the other end of the thermometer, there’s Calgary. A Colliers survey of 10 Canadian cities showed monthly parking fees rose 8.1% to $197, with Calgary topping the list at $336.

Just how cold does a central Alberta parking garage get in mid-January?

Sounds like a business case for remote-starter suppliers.

FYI, don’t run out and buy a Smart Fortwo when the minicar become available next year in the U.S. No discounts for small cars, Moore says, though fullsize SUV owners are sometimes hit with premiums.